Photo Credit: Paul VanDerWerf | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

Forages are fundamental to cattle diets, providing essential nutrients and promoting overall health and productivity. As the primary feed source for cows, forages include grasses, legumes, and other herbaceous plants that are either grazed directly in pastures or harvested and stored as hay or silage. 

Proper forage management is crucial for maintaining healthy cattle and optimizing farm profitability. Understanding the benefits and challenges associated with different forages is critical to developing a sustainable and efficient feeding strategy.

Benefits of Allowing Cattle to Forage

Allowing cows to forage offers numerous benefits, enhancing their health, welfare, and productivity while promoting sustainable farming practices.

Better Milk Quality

Pastures improve milk quality in cattle through enhanced nutritional profiles, better animal health and welfare, cleaner environments, and sustainable management practices. The result is milk richer in beneficial fats, vitamins, and antioxidants, contributing to better health for consumers and higher economic returns for farmers.

• Grazing cows typically produce milk with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for human health, contributing to heart health and reducing inflammation.
• Milk from grass-fed cows often has a more favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids compared to milk from conventionally fed cows.
• Milk from grazing cows contains higher amounts of CLA, a fat associated with various health benefits, including reduced cancer risk and improved immune function.
• Grazing cows have access to fresh forage rich in vitamins, leading to milk with higher levels of vitamins A and E. 
• Milk from grass-fed cows can have a different, often preferred flavor and aroma due to the diverse diet of fresh pasture, which can impart subtle, unique flavors to the milk.
• Pasture plants are high in natural antioxidants, which can be transferred to milk. These antioxidants help maintain milk's freshness and shelf life and offer consumers health benefits.
• Pastures generally provide a cleaner environment with less exposure to manure and pathogens. This can reduce the risk of mastitis, a common udder infection that can negatively impact milk quality.

Enhanced Meat Quality

Pastures offer a diverse range of grasses and legumes that provide essential nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, and minerals, which are vital for the growth and development of beef cattle. Beef from pasture-raised cattle often has higher levels of beneficial fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and tends to have better flavor and texture than grain-fed beef.

Improved Mental Health and Well-Being

Grazing allows cows to exhibit natural behaviors, such as walking and foraging, which improves their physical and mental well-being. Lower stress levels are associated with better immune function and overall health.

Reduced Lameness

Lameness in cattle is characterized by an abnormal gait or difficulty walking due to pain or dysfunction in the legs, feet, or joints. It is a significant concern in dairy and beef operations because it significantly affects the animals' well-being and leads to economic losses due to decreased milk production, lower weight gain, reduced fertility, and increased veterinary costs.

Pastures significantly reduce lameness in cattle by promoting better hoof health, providing a cleaner environment, encouraging natural behaviors, and improving overall well-being.

• Grazing on varied terrain allows for natural hoof wear, which can prevent overgrowth and hoof deformities that contribute to lameness.
• Compared to concrete surfaces in confined systems, softer ground reduces stress on hooves and legs, decreasing the likelihood of injuries and wear-related issues.
• In confinement, cows often stand on hard surfaces like concrete, leading to hoof damage and lameness. Pastures provide a softer, forgiving surface that reduces the impact on hooves and joints.
• Pasture systems typically result in less manure accumulation around feeding and resting areas, reducing the risk of hoof infections such as foot rot and digital dermatitis, which are exacerbated by standing in wet, dirty conditions.
• Open pastures can be drier than barn environments, particularly if well-managed, further reducing the incidence of moisture-related hoof diseases.
• Grazing cows are more active, moving around to find food, which promotes better circulation in their legs and hooves and strengthens their musculoskeletal system. This increased activity can help prevent stiffness and joint problems contributing to lameness.

Reduced Feed Costs

Last is the economic benefit of letting your cows out on pasture. Feed costs for cows can be a significant portion of the total dairy and beef operations expenses. Beef Magazine says feed expenses are cow-calf producers' most significant operating cost. In 2021, feed comprised 75 percent of input costs.

Putting your cattle on pasture doesn’t eliminate your supplemental feed costs, but a well-managed system can help reduce expenses considerably. 

Qualities to Look for When Choosing a Forage

Forages are the cornerstone of dairy and beef cattle diets, providing essential fuel for growth, health, and production. Choosing plants that will help you meet your husbandry goals is critical. 

Nutritional Value

When high-quality forages are chosen and well-managed, they can make up a significant portion of an animal’s diet. But to do this, it’s critical to select a forage — or a mix of forages — that has good nutritional qualities to meet the needs of your cattle. 

Forage Yield & Consistent Growth

Looking past nutrition, you also want to select species offering substantial dry matter yields and consistent growth habits. High-yielding plants are essential to generate enough forage for your animals, and efficient growth keeps your pasture productive all season long, so there aren’t any gaps in fresh plant material from spring to fall.

Grazing Habits of Cows

When planning a pasture, it’s essential to understand how cattle graze. 

Cows graze selectively (although not as selectively as sheep or goats with smaller mouths) and tend to pick out certain species instead of grazing the entire pasture. They generally eat the highest-quality plants first, returning to them when they regrow rather than moving into an ungrazed area.

They prefer young, green forage over more mature plants and like leaves more than stems.

Forage Grasses For Cows

Pros of Grasses

✓ High fiber content

✓ Longer growing season

✓ Tolerant of frequent, close grazing

✓ Establish quickly

✓ Tolerant of a variety of soils

✓ Better drought tolerance over legumes

✓ Can be grazed or used for hay

Cons of Grasses

✗ Lower crude protein 

✗ Less tolerant of trampling

✗ Lower yields

Photo Source: Jeffrey Surianto | Pexels

Recommended Cool-Season Grass Species

Cool-season grasses make excellent forages, providing early and late-season grazing with abundant spring and fall growth. They generally go dormant or become unproductive when it’s hot during the summer, so you can’t depend on them for season-long grazing. 

They also typically retain their forage quality better than warm-season grasses, but quality decreases as plants mature and produce seeds.

• Tall fescue (Kentucky 32, Fawn Tall Fescue, Cajun II)  is moderately tolerant of continuous grazing and has a good tolerance to weeds, diseases, and insects. It has excellent fall productivity. 
• Forage Kentucky bluegrass is very palatable, highly nutritious, and tolerant of frequent, close grazing — it grows taller and leafier than varieties used for home lawns. It forms a tight sod that provides sound footing for cattle.
• Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) is clean and sweet-smelling, with excellent palatability. Deer Creek Seed’s Amplify Brand Orchardgrass has moderate winter hardiness and grows quickly for a highly productive grazing and hay option.
• Bromegrass is known for its high yield potential, palatability, and adaptability to various soil types and climates. It is high in crude protein and relatively low in crude fiber content. Its deep root system enables it to withstand drought conditions and recover quickly after grazing, making it suitable for intensive grazing systems.
• Smooth Bromegrass
• Meadow Bromegrass

• Tetraploid annual ryegrass is highly nutritious and recovers rapidly from frequent, close grazing. It establishes quickly and is tolerant of all soils and pH conditions. 
• To extend the grazing season, small grains such as wheat and oats are often sod-seeded into dormant warm-season grass pastures. 
• Jerry Hard Red Winter Wheat
• Falcon Brand Spring Oat
• Arctic Brand Forage Deer Oat

Recommended Warm-Season Grass Species

Warm-season grasses are valuable forages, especially in northern pastures. They are adapted to high temperatures and provide grazable material during the summer slump when cool-season species slow down or quit growing. 

These grasses also typically offer higher fiber content and lower crude protein and nonstructural carbohydrates than cool-season plants.

• Bermudagrass produces large amounts of dry matter and can offer high nutritional value for your animals. It tolerates grazing pressure, and its crude protein content responds well to nitrogen fertilizer applications. Some cold-hardy forage varieties that establish well from seed are available.
• Bahiagrass provides nutritious forage for sheep throughout the grazing season, with peak production occurring in the warmer months. One of the critical advantages of bahiagrass as a forage for sheep is its ability to thrive in low-fertility soils and withstand drought conditions.
• Crabgrass has a deep-seated reputation as a nuisance weed, but this high-quality, palatable plant makes an excellent forage for sheep. It is typically higher in nutritional value and digestibility than other warm-season grasses, including Bermuda and Old World bluestems.
• Pearl millet is commonly grown for forage, wildlife, or as a cover crop. Under ideal conditions, it can reach 3 to 5 feet tall. This multi-cut forage grass is preferred over other millets for hay, pasture, and silage production because it is highly digestible, high in protein, and free of prussic acid.
• Dallisgrass can be a valuable component of cattle pastures due to its hardiness, nutritional value, and suitability for various climates. It produces well on fertile uplands yet is adapted to low, moist areas. Yields are similar to those of bahiagrass. 

Recommended Native Grasses

Native grasses can be a valuable addition to pastures where wildlife is important on the farm. They can be grazed or harvested for hay and provide nesting cover for wildlife. These grasses grow well as pure stands or when planted with other natives or warm-season species. 

To maintain native grass stands, do not allow cattle to graze plants shorter than 8 inches.

• Indiangrass is highly palatable and, when correctly managed, suitable for grazing and hay. This native grass is a good pasture addition for arid climates; it prefers dry climates and limited rainfall.
• Big bluestem is known for its high nutritional value, drought tolerance, and adaptability. It is highly palatable and nutritious, providing good protein and energy levels, mainly when grazed during its early growth stages. 
• Little bluestem is valued for its adaptability, drought tolerance, and contribution to soil health. Little bluestem provides good forage quality, especially when grazed early in the growing season. It offers moderate protein and energy levels sufficient for cattle growth and maintenance.
• Eastern gamagrass is highly valued for cattle due to its high productivity, nutritional value, and adaptability. It offers high levels of protein, energy, and digestibility. It is particularly valuable for supporting weight gain and milk production in cattle.
• Switchgrass is known for its high biomass production. During the summer, it provides abundant forage with moderate protein and energy levels for cattle. It can produce substantial yields even in marginal soils and under moderate drought conditions.

Forage Legumes for Cows

Pros of Legumes

✓ High in crude protein

✓ Nitrogen fixation lowers fertilizer costs

✓ Improved palatability and digestibility

✓ Useful for grazing or hay

Cons of Legumes

✗ Less tolerant of heat, cold, and drought

✗ Higher management requirements

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Recommended Legume Species

Legumes are excellent for pasture species because they are highly palatable and nutritious. They generally have higher nutritional quality than grasses at any given growth stage but require more careful management to maintain adequate stands. 

Legumes also continue to grow and produce forage when grass growth slows down or becomes less productive. When included in pastures, they provide high-quality forage that supports livestock growth, milk production in dairy cows, and reproductive health. 

• Alfalfa is known for its high protein content and digestibility, making it an excellent source of nutrition for cows. It provides essential nutrients such as vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium) crucial for growth, milk production, and overall animal health. Cows generally find alfalfa highly palatable, which encourages them to graze actively.
• Winter King II Alfalfa
• Great Lakes Alfalfa
• 390 HyQual Brand Alfalfa

Photo Credit: K-State Research and Extension | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

• White and red clover grow in spring, early summer, and fall. This early growth is beneficial during spring when pasture grasses grow slowly. Both are rich in protein and energy and have the potential to produce significant biomass. 
• Dutch White Clover
• Medium Red Clover
• Ladino White Clover
• Crimson Annual Red Clover
• 990 Elite Red Clover
• Lespedeza is high in protein and highly adaptable to various soil types and environmental conditions. It can thrive in poor, acidic, and drought-prone soils where other forages might struggle.
• Arrowleaf clover is highly palatable, which encourages grazing and consistent nutrient intake. Its tender leaves and stems are particularly attractive to livestock. It is adaptable to various soil types, including sandy and loamy soils. It is also tolerant of moderately acidic to neutral pH levels, making it suitable for multiple pasture conditions.
• Hairy vetch is an annual legume that provides a rich source of protein and other essential nutrients for cattle. When seeded in the fall, it can provide valuable forage in late spring and early summer, helping to extend the grazing season and reducing the need for stored feed.

Crop Residues as Cow Forages

Another useful forage option is crop residue left after harvesting grain fields. These residues may be lower quality than alfalfa or fescue, and they are typically high in fiber, but they can help fill seasonal voids in forage availability. 

Before using crop residues for grazing or hay, check the restrictions on any chemicals (herbicides, insecticides) applied during the growing season. Some agrochemicals cannot be used on any livestock forage.

Suitable crop residues to use for grazing include:

• Grain Sorghum
• Dwarf Grain Sorghum
• Deer Corn
• Jerry Hard Red Winter Wheat
• Egyptian Wheat
• Eagle Big Fellow RR Soybeans
• Forage Soybean
• Eagle Large Lad RR Soybean
• Rice
• Cotton

Forages to Feed in Moderation

• Sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass contain cyanogenic glycosides, especially following drought or frost. Cyanide poisoning causes respiratory distress and death.

• Brassicas (e.g., kale, turnips, rape) should be fed in limited quantities and mixed with other species to prevent over-grazing. They can cause bloat and nitrate toxicity.

Forages to Avoid with Cattle

While forages are a primary source of nutrition for cows, some types can be harmful or even toxic if consumed in significant quantities. Here are forages that should be avoided:

• Bracken fern contains thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down vitamin B1. Ingesting large amounts causes thiamine deficiency and can result in neurological issues.
• Hemlock contains several toxic alkaloids, the most dangerous being coniine and gamma-coniceine. It can cause nervous system damage, tremors, respiratory paralysis, and death.
• Johnsongrass can accumulate toxic levels of cyanide, especially when stressed by drought or frost. Ingesting large amounts can be lethal to cattle.
• Lantana is harmful to cattle due to its toxic compounds, primarily lantadenes, which cause liver damage, photosensitization, and gastrointestinal distress.
• Milkweed contains toxic compounds called cardenolides or cardiac glycosides. These toxins can disrupt normal heart and digestive system function. Ingesting milkweed can cause drooling, difficulty breathing, muscle tremors, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and, in severe cases, death.
• Nightshade plants contain solanine, which can cause symptoms like drooling, diarrhea, and respiratory distress.
• Oleander is highly toxic to cattle, containing compounds known as cardiac glycosides. Ingesting even small amounts can lead to severe cardiovascular issues and may be fatal.
• Ragwort contains toxic compounds called pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These toxins accumulate in the liver and cause liver damage, leading to chronic liver disease and, potentially, liver failure.
• Yew contains toxic compounds known as taxines. These compounds interfere with the heart's electrical activity, leading to severe and often fatal heart problems.

Advantages of Growing Mixed Species Pastures 

No forage species can meet your cattle's production and quality requirements throughout the grazing season. Each forage has drawbacks. 

• Cool-season grasses have a more extended growing season — producing earlier in the spring and later in the fall than legumes — but they slow growth in the summer, offering very little grazing material. 
• Warm-season grasses produce during the summer heat but aren’t as high quality as cool-season. 
• Legumes have the best crude protein levels but require more intensive management and aren’t as tolerant of heat, cold, and drought.

Consequently, producers can better meet their production needs by combining two or more species into a forage system and reap many benefits. 

• Improved distribution of forage growth through the season
• Increased dry matter weight and crop yield 
• Greater adaptability to weather conditions 
• Reduced weed competition
• Reduced nitrogen fertilizer needs from the leguminous nitrogen-fixation

Planning for Year-Round Forages

Regardless of your locale, you can assemble an extended-season forage plan to feed your cattle as long as possible, if not year-round. Forages for spring and fall pastures include cool-season grasses and legumes such as clover.

1. Identify what forages are available for grazing each season.
1. Spring pastures include cool-season grasses and legumes like red and white clover and hairy vetch.
2. Summer pastures include warm-season grasses and legumes like lespedeza and alfalfa.
3. Fall forages include cool-season grasses, wheat, oats, and alfalfa.
4. Winter forages include silage, hay, and crop residues.
2. Choose one or two primary forages based on local climate and soil conditions to meet your production needs.
3. Improve management practices (e.g., fertilization, watering) to extend the existing forage’s grazing season.
4. Add complementary forages to fill in seasonal gaps. 

If you’d rather not put together your grazing season plan, Deer Creek Seed offers the following pasture seed mixes, which are fantastic for cows.

• #4 Pasture Mix
• Pastureland Over-Seeder South
• Premium Grass Base Forage Mix
• Premium Lowland Clover Mix
• Jim's Midwest Pasture Mix
• Premium Alfalfa Dairy Mix

Rotational Grazing for Better Pasture and Animal Productivity

Rotational grazing is crucial for pasture health and livestock productivity.

Simply put, rotational grazing is regularly moving cows between several paddocks or smaller pastures. Animals are allowed to graze until they remove about half of the forage, never taking it below a few inches in height.

After a paddock is sufficiently grazed, the cattle are moved to the next paddock. When grazing other paddocks, an area is left empty, plants are allowed to rest, and the forages recover and regrow. The process continues until all of the paddocks are grazed, and then it begins again. 

It’s best to let a grazing area “rest” for 3 to 4 weeks between rotations for optimal results.

Rotation grazing ensures animals have consistent access to high-quality forage, which supports better nutrition and overall health. It also helps control parasites and reduce the risk of diseases by disrupting the life cycles of pathogens and pests that thrive in continuously grazed pastures.

In addition to benefiting livestock, rotational grazing significantly improves pasture and soil health. By preventing overgrazing, this practice maintains plant diversity and encourages deeper root systems, which enhance soil structure and fertility. Improved soil health translates to better water infiltration and retention, reducing erosion and runoff while promoting a sustainable pasture ecosystem. 

While rotational grazing requires more oversight and management than continuous grazing, it offers big payoffs: increased forage feed value and productive pastures that require less renovation or reseeding. 

Forage Quality Analysis

Three principal quality parameters are commonly used when evaluating forages, whether pasture, hay, or silage: crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF). 

Parameters such as total digestible nutrients (TDN), net energies, and mineral concentrations are also commonly reported for cows.

Understanding Crude Protein (CP)

Forages and other feeds are analyzed for crude protein (CP), the combined percentage of true protein and non-protein nitrogen. This number indicates a forage’s ability to meet your cows' protein needs and is useful when developing a feed ration.

• Legume forages have 20 to 24% CP.
• Spring and summer grass pastures contain upwards of 20% CP. 

Understanding Fiber Content: Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) & Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF)

Another critical measure of a forage’s quality is the amount of fiber in the plant material, as fiber is the predominant factor in forage digestibility. The fiber content includes structural components like cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.

Generally speaking, fiber levels and digestibility are inversely correlated. Lower fiber means higher digestibility; higher fiber means lower digestibility.

Higher digestibility typically means higher energy value for the animal and better forage quality. Low fiber values suggest that forage is easier to chew and more palatable (i.e.,  cows will consume more).

Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) measure a forage’s cell wall composition. 

• NDF measures hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin levels and is typically used to predict intake potential. 
• In grasses, NDF < 50% is considered high quality; NDF > 60% is low.
• In legumes, NDF < 40% is considered good quality; NDF > 50% is considered poor.
• ADF measures cellulose and lignin and is commonly used to calculate digestibility.
• Forages with less than 35% ADF are typically considered high-quality.

Grasses typically contain more NDF and ADF than legumes because of greater lignification. However, you see a wide variability of NDF and ADF within grass species. And the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin amounts typically increase in all forages as they mature.

Understanding Dry Matter (DM) and Moisture

Dry matter (DM) is the non-moisture portion of a forage; it indicates the nutrient concentration available to your animals. The higher the dry matter, the higher the nutrients.

• Pastures typically contain 75 to 90% moisture content or 10-25% DM, regardless of the forage type. 

Understanding Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN)

Total digestible nutrients (TDN) estimates the energy content of a food source. It is the sum of the digestible fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and lipids that supply energy to the animal. 

TDN is directly correlated to digestible energy and is often determined using CP and ADF values. 

• Low quality usually contains 45 - 52% TDN
• Mid-quality usually contains 52% - 58% TDN
• High quality usually contains greater than or equal to 58% TDN

Understanding Energy Content

The energy content of forage can be tricky to understand. At the fundamental level, the energy content of a forage (or other feed source) is the energy available to an animal for activities like growth, breathing, lactation, etc. 

However, there are different ways to express energy content and some controversy surrounding this aspect of forage quality analysis. 

• Gross energy (GE) is the total energy content of forage. Not all gross energy is usable by an animal because of digestion and metabolism.
• Digestible energy (DE) is the energy of a forage absorbed by a cow, accounting for the energy lost in feces during digestion. 
• Metabolizable energy (ME) is the energy left after accounting for the energy lost during digestion from the production of urine and gases. It’s the energy available for maintenance, growth, and production. 
• Net energy (NE) represents the energy the cow’s body utilizes for maintenance, growth, and production. It’s calculated by subtracting all energies lost to metabolic processes from the metabolizable energy.

In America, the energy content of a forage is usually expressed as digestible energy (DE) and is reported in mega-calories per pound (Mcal/lb). A forage's crude protein and ADF content reasonably estimate the DE. 

However, DE is considered quite archaic because there are significant differences in how digested energy is utilized from different forages and across livestock species. Keep this in mind and view DE values as an estimate.

Understanding Mineral Content

All minerals reported on a forage analysis are essential for overall animal health. Your cows’s diet must contain adequate quantities to satisfy daily requirements, and some nutrients must also be balanced with others.

• Calcium and phosphorus should be in a 2:1 ratio of approximately two parts calcium to one part phosphorus.
• Zinc and copper should have a 4:1 balance, with more zinc in the plant than copper.
• Iron levels should be no higher than 500 ppm; excess iron can inhibit the absorption of other nutrients and, in extreme cases, trigger insulin resistance. Legumes tend to have higher iron levels than grass forages.

Physical Assessment of Forage Hays

When choosing hay to feed your cows, looking at its visual characteristics to select a quality feed is essential. This visual inspection can be as important as a chemical forage analysis. 

Always look at color, smell, maturity, leafiness, and foreign matter.

Color

Color is one of the first things you look at when inspecting forage. You preferably want the hay to be green, which indicates good nutrient content. However, it shouldn’t be the only concern because weeds stay green when dried. 

Light or pale yellow on the outside of a bale indicates sun-bleaching. This isn’t necessarily bad as long as the sun-bleaching doesn’t penetrate the bale more than one-half to a full inch. The bleached areas on the outside will be lower in carotene and less palatable, but they don’t reduce the nutrient value too much until they extend beyond that inch mark.

A completely yellow bale typically indicates the forage was too mature when harvested, and the hay will have reduced nutrient value and even poor palatability. If in doubt, have a forage analysis to evaluate the nutrient concentration.

Dark brown or black hay is usually a sign the forage was harvested and baled when wet. Under these circumstances, fungi and bacteria feed on the nutrients, producing heat that turns the hay darker. The bale may also have a distinctively sweet odor, almost like caramel. Head-damaged hay may contain bacteria, fungi, or mold, potentially producing dangerous mycotoxins. It will also have reduced nutritional value, digestibility, and palatability. 

Pro tip: Remember that red clover naturally turns brown as the hay dries. It doesn’t indicate poor quality but is a good reminder to identify the forage species when evaluating hay. 

Smell

Hay should have a clean, fresh, slightly sweet smell. It shouldn’t smell musty or stale. If it does, there’s a chance of mold within the forage, and you should pass on purchasing it. You don’t want to feed moldy hay to your cows. 

Also, check for excessive dust. If a bale creates a dust cloud as you move it, it can exacerbate or trigger respiratory ailments in your cattle.

Maturity

You want to gauge maturity because forages become less nutritious as they mature. The lignin content in the cell walls increases, potentially decreasing digestibility. 

Look at the number and size of seedheads in grass-type hays and the number of flowers in legume hays. The low presence of seedheads, smaller seedheads, and fewer flowers indicate less mature, more desirable hay.

You also want to note stem thickness, which indicates the state of maturity of the material harvested. Hay with thick, coarse stems was harvested when it was more mature than the same species with finer stems. However, hay with fine stems that lack leaves means it was harvested too early and is immature. 

Leafiness 

Take a look at how leafy the hay is within the bale. You want your forage source to have plenty of leaves and fewer stems and seedheads — leaves contain more nutrients, protein, and digestible carbohydrates than stems.

Foreign Matter

Lastly, look for foreign matter that adds no nutritional value to the hay or is dangerous or inedible for the cows. This includes insects, trash that could puncture the gut or cause an impaction, and dead animals that could introduce botulism neurotoxins. 

Quality Differences of Fresh Forage Versus Hay

If you put your cows out to pasture and feed them hay, it’s important to understand the nutritional differences between the two forage types. These differences arise as fresh pasture forages have a considerably higher water content. After harvesting, as the hay dries down, it impacts other dietary components.  

Moisture Content

• Pasture plants contain 75 - 90% water 
• Hay contains 10 - 12% moisture

It’s no surprise fresh pasture has a much higher moisture content. The lower moisture content in hay is how it stores for lengths of time without seeing mold growth. However, you must increase water intake when feeding hay with less moisture. 

Crude Protein (CP)

• Grass pastures contain 10 - 20% 
• Legume pastures contain 20 - 24% protein
• Grass hays contain 6 - 10%
• Legume hays contain 12 - 20%

In general, fresh pasture forages have higher crude protein levels than hay. Once harvested, the proteins in forages undergo proteolysis, breaking down into nonprotein, nitrogen-based compounds like urea and ammonia. 

This breakdown changes the hay’s amino acid profile and reduces the crude protein percentage. In all pasture species, the CP also declines as plants mature through the season. 

Fiber and Digestibility

• Early pasture forages have better digestibility than mature plants
• Fresh pasture is more digestible than hay harvested at the same maturity

Digestibility differences are directly related to moisture content and inversely associated with a forage’s fiber content. Fresh forages are more digestible than hay, and younger plants are more digestible than mature plants. 

As plants mature, they are harder for cattle to digest because lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose concentrations increase.

Vitamin Levels

• Fresh pasture species are higher in vitamins A, C, and E levels than hay

After a forage is harvested, regardless of whether it’s a grass or legume, oxygen and sunlight begin degrading essential nutrients. This degradation continues in storage, leading to significantly lower vitamin levels in hay than in fresh forages.

Deer Creek Seed Can Help With Your Forage Needs

Whether you need help choosing the best grass or legume seeds or have questions about pasture management, look no further than Deer Creek Seed! We offer high-quality seeds to help grow productive, nutritious pasture forages, and our experts can help answer any questions about seed selection or crop management.

Deer Creek Seed aims to provide you with the highest quality seed at competitive prices and exceptional customer service. Our staff works diligently to serve our customers! 

Additional Resources

1. The University of Minnesota Extension can help you evaluate pasture quality and productivity. 
2. If you’re not familiar with it, the University of Georgia’s College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences has some great information on dallisgrass. 
3. Crabgrass seems like an unlikely choice as a pasture grass, but Rutgers University researchers have shown the weed’s strengths make it a great choice for summer forage. https://ker.com/equinews/researchers-eye-crabgrass-as-a-pasture-plant-for-horses/
4. You don’t have to take our word for it — the Nevada Irrigation District covers the benefits of rotational graving. 
5. Deer Creek Seed takes the guesswork out of determining how and when to harvest forages for hay or silage.